My daughter is volunteering with the local animal shelter this summer. Her job is to play with dozens of resident kittens and brush any that will hold still for it.

For my part, a feeling of pride (hey, it is a volunteer position) is followed closely by faint stirrings of concern. What about cat scratch disease, I fret wonder?

At some point in their lives, 40 percent of cats will carry B. henselae, the bacterium that causes cat scratch disease (CSD). And it’s usually kittens who are the bacteria-carrying culprits.

The bacteria are passed along to a human through a kitten’s scratch or bite, or when a kitten licks a person’s open wound. Although cat fleas can carry the disease from cat to cat, it’s unknown if the fleas transmit the disease to humans.

CSD is usually a mild infection, but it can get nasty and be the cause of serious conditions, including “lymphoma, carcinoma, mycobacterial or fungal infection, or neuroblastoma.”

Great.

I told her to wear long sleeves and to wash with soap and water any scratch or bite she sustains. She’s also to cover any open wounds before she goes through the kitten room door.

As parents, we can either put our kids in protective bubbles, or embrace the Roseanne Roseannadanna in each of us and say: It’s always something.

Disclaimer

The information on PKIDs' Blog is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for you or your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.